Mike Pompeo has endorsed Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) in the Texas U.S. Senate race.
With Rep. Wesley Hunt (R-TX) out of the contest, Senator Cornyn must now best Attorney General Paxton to make it to the November election after failing to reach the necessary 50% vote threshold in the March, 3, 2026, primary race.
Pompeo, who formerly served under the first Trump administration as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 2017 to 2018 and as the secretary of state from 2018 to 2021, announced his endorsement on X, commenting that "Texas needs a proven fighter in the Senate."
Texas needs a proven fighter in the Senate. @JohnCornyn has delivered for Texas and for President Trump's agenda, and he will continue to do so. Send him back to Washington. #TexasRunoff
— Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) March 5, 2026
"[Senator John Cornyn] has delivered for Texas and for President Trump's agenda, and he will continue to do so," Pompeo wrote on X. "Send him back to Washington."
The endorsement comes as both candidates fight to earn the endorsement of President Donald Trump.
Attorney General Paxton recently made it clear that he would not drop out of the race if the president endorses Senator Cornyn. Responding to the Attorney General's comment, President Trump said "that's bad for him to say. That is bad for him. So maybe, maybe that leads me to go the other direction."
Rep. Hunt who touted his support for President Trump during his bid for the U.S. Senate did not receive an endorsement from the president, and rumblings suggest that President Trump will, in fact, endorse Senator Cornyn in the coming days.
As reported by POLITICO, the president noted in a phone conversation this week that an endorsement would be "made pretty soon."
Despite the expected endorsement, Senator Cornyn has received criticism for his previous comments on President Trump. An April 2025 ad from the Paxton campaign painted the incumbent senator as the "Anti-Trump" senator.
However, Attorney General Paxton has not entirely ruled out dropping out of the race, but it would require support for the Save America Act.
The Save America Act is the most important bill the U.S. Senate could ever pass, and I'm committed to helping President Trump get it done.
I would consider dropping out of this race if Senate Leadership agrees to lift the filibuster and passes the SAVE America Act.
John Cornyn…
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) March 5, 2026
In a social media post, the senatorial hopeful called the legislative effort "the most important bill the U.S. Senate could ever pass."
Because of that, the attorney general expressed, "I would consider dropping out of this race if Senate Leadership agrees to lift the filibuster and passes the SAVE America Act."
